The Trump administration is considering implementing new visa restrictions affecting citizens from 43 countries, including 22 African nations, as part of an expanded immigration policy. Notably, Nigeria is not among the countries listed for potential visa restrictions.
According to a draft list developed by U.S. State Department and security officials, the countries are categorized into three tiers:
- Red List: Total visa bans are proposed for 11 countries, including Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen.
- Orange List: Ten countries, such as Belarus, Russia, Pakistan, Haiti, Sierra Leone, Laos, South Sudan, Myanmar, and Turkmenistan, may face significant visa restrictions.
- Yellow List: Twenty-two countries, primarily from Africa, are given 60 days to address specific security concerns to avoid potential visa restrictions. These countries include Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Zimbabwe.
The decision to exclude Nigeria from the proposed visa restrictions is notable, especially considering that Nigeria was among the countries targeted during President Trump’s first term.
The draft list is currently under review by U.S. embassies worldwide, regional bureaus at the State Department, and other security specialists. The final list may change before its official release.
This development comes shortly after the U.S. government released its 2025 Visa Waiver Programme list, which excluded all African nations, including Nigeria, from eligibility for visa-free entry into the United States.
The proposed visa restrictions and the exclusion of African countries from the Visa Waiver Programme have raised concerns among observers about the implications for U.S.-Africa relations and the potential impact on citizens of the affected countries.
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